Foldable prop rest or seat



Dec. 3, 1968 B. w. MITCHUM FOLDABLE PROP REST OR SEAT Filed March 28, 1967 FIGS FIGZ

FIGI

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,414,323 FOLDABLE PROP REST OR SEAT Bernett W. Mitchum, 1619 Virginia Beach Blvd., Norfolk, Va. 23504 Filed Mar. 28, 1967, Ser. No. 626,450 4 Claims. (Cl. 297-461) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A lightweight foldable rest or seat which assumes an inclined position when opened for use, thereby forming a prop structure for the user when the user is leaning on the rest substantially in a sitting position.

Background of the invention The invention pertains to that class of support commonly found in the home in the form of a portable stool or seat for use in the kitchen or elsewhere.

The prior art reveals a number of portable supports for household use in the form of rigid leg stools, folding stools and ladders. Generally, these prior art devices tend to be heavy and somewhat cumbersome and occupy too much floor space while in use or storage. Because of these disadvantages, the housewife is not inclined to use the devices and consequently stands on her feet continuously for many hours when she might have frequent rest periods if a convenient support or rest were available. The purpose of the present invention is to overcome these deficiencies of the prior art.

Summary of the invention The invention is a prop-type rest or seat which is extremely lightweight and compact so that it may be carried about by a housewife with almost as little effort as is required to carry an umbrella or crutch. The rest consists of a U-shaped frame member which provides two legs and an intermediate hinged leg which is somewhat shorter than the two legs, enabling the rest to assume an inclined position during use. A soft cushion is mounted on the top of the structure to be engaged by the user while in a sitting or partially sitting position.

Brief description of the drawing FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a prop rest or seat embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation of the invention in the folded non-use condition;

FIGURE 4 is a front elevation of the device in the folded condition;

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of the invention with the seat cushion removed; and

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken on line 66 of FIGURE 4.

Description of the preferred embodiment Referring to the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts, the numeral 10 designates an inverted U-shaped frame member preferably formed from a section of aluminum tubing or the like and having a top relatively short, horizontal support bar 11 and two legs 12 integral therewith and depending therefrom. The bottoms of the legs 12 are provided with rubber crutch tips 13 or like elements to prevent scratching of the floor. The height of the frame member 10 may be approximately twenty-seven inches and its width approximately fourteen inches, although these dimensions are not critical and may vary somewhat in practice.

The device further comprises an intermediate hinged or foldable leg 14 formed of a straight section of aluminum tubing or the like and having its upper end pivotally secured to a pin 15, supported by a pair of bracket plates 16, suitably rigidly secured to the bar 11 at the center thereof and depending therefrom. The center leg 14 is freely swingable upon the pin 15 and is constrained or limited in its movement by a flexible member 17, such as a chain. The member 17 is connected with the legs 12 and 14. The intermediate leg 14 is somewhat shorter than the two legs 12 and preferably about one inch shorter, although this dimension may be varied somewhat and is not critical. The lower end of the leg 14 is also provided with one of the protective tips 13.

Rigidly secured to the top of horizontal bar 11 by means of rivets 18, welding or the like, is a flat rectangular support plate 19 which extends for a major portion of the width of frame member 10 but is relatively narrow in a direction at right angles to the plane of the frame member. For example, the plate 19 may be approximately ten inches long and three inches wide. Again, these dimensions are not critical and may be varied somewhat.

A thick rectangular cushion 20 of foam rubber, foam plastic or the like is mounted upon the plate 19, as shown. The cushion 20 preferably has an outer flexible covering 21 having a drawstring 22 at its lower margin which, when pulled tight and tied, engages beneath the plate 19 to releasably anchor the cushion thereto in a stable manner. If preferred, other means may be employed for securing the cushion 20 to the plate 19. The cushion is preferably about five and one-half inches thick in the vertical direction, although its thickness may be varied somewhat.

The use of the device as a convenient rest or seat requires little description in view of the drawing. It should be noted, however, that the center hinged leg 14 may be swung to the use position on either side of the U- shaped frame 10, either forwardly or rearwardly thereof, and the rest is symmetrical with respect to the plane of frame 10. This is an advantage since the user does not have to manipulate the leg 14 in any particular direction. When the leg 14 is in the active position, FIGURE 2, due to its relative shortness, the frame 10, plate 19 and cushion 20 will automatically assume an inclined position so that the user may employ the device as a prop by leaning upon the cushion 20 in a partial sitting position. This renders the device highly useful to the housewife as when working about the kitchen and moving from place-to-place in the house.

As stated, the rest is extremely lightweight and occupies very little floor space particularly when folded, as shown in FIGURE 3. It may be stored in a very narrow space of only about four inches between a refrigerator and the wall or the like. The advantages of the device should be readily apparent to anyone skilled in the art.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the subjoined claims.

What I claim is:

1. A portable prop-type seat comprising a substantially inverted U-shaped frame member including a pair of legs, a seat member rigidly mounted on top of the frame memher and extending for a major portion of the width thereof between said legs and being symmetrical with a plane through the frame member so as to project substantially equidistantly beyond opposite sides of the frame member, an intermediate leg spaced substantially midway between said legs and being slightly shorter than each of said legs, means hingedly securing the top of the intermediate leg to the top of the frame member for free swinging movement to a use position beyond either side of the frame member, and a flexible restraining element interconnecting the intermediate leg and frame member to limit the swinging of the intermediate legv 2. A portable prop-type seat as defined by claim 1, wherein said seat member comprises a substantially rigid plate on top of said U-shaped frame member, and a resilient cushion mounted on and substantially covering the plate.

3. A portable prop-type seat as defined by claim 1, wherein said means comprises a pair of spaced apertured bracket plates carried by the top of the frame member and receiving therebetween the top of the intermediate leg, and a pin element pivotally connecting the intermediate leg and bracket plates.

4. A portable prop-type seat comprising an inverted substantially U-shaped frame member including a pair of legs, a seat member substantially rigidly mounted on top of the frame member and extending for a major portion of the width thereof between said legs and being symmetrical with a plane through the frame member so as to project substanially equidistantly beyond opposite sides of the frame member, an intermediate leg arranged substantially midway between said legs and having its top end hingedly secured to the top of said frame member for free swinging movement to a use position beyond either side of the U-shaped frame member, and a fiexiple restraining element interconnecting the intermediate leg and said frame member to limit the swinging movement of the intermediate leg.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 354,298 12/1886 Baldwin 2974 1,484,164 2/1924 Wickham 248166 X 1,509,717 9/1924 Davis 248166 X 2,897,878 8/1959 Mungovan 297399 CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Primary Examiner. 

